eurekapd Chapter 1042 Daqing Version Lingyan Pavilion
Chapter 1042 Daqing Version Lingyan Pavilion
Lingyan Pavilion was the talent pool of Li Erfeng, the first emperor of a unified China.
In her later years, to honor the meritorious officials, the Second Princess built a pavilion with portraits of them in the Taiji Palace, but it was later destroyed in the war.
The Lingyan Pavilion is divided into three levels: the innermost level depicts the most meritorious ministers; the middle level depicts ministers who have made great contributions; and the outermost level depicts other meritorious officials.
The Second Princess was indeed very clever in coming up with this idea. Using honor to control the court was more reliable than power and money, and it was also cheaper.
Li Che wanted to make his meritorious officials famous, but he was too lazy to think of another name, so he simply borrowed Erfeng's name for free.
However, Li Che did not intend to copy it entirely. Although Erfeng's Lingyan Pavilion was good, it was not without its flaws.
When the Second Princess established the Lingyan Pavilion, it appeared to be fair and reasonable on the surface.
From the first-rank officials, such as the Minister of Works and Minister of Agriculture, to the first-rank officials, such as the Grand Master of the Palace, and then to the second-rank officials, such as the Grand General of the State, the ranks were strictly assigned according to official titles. If the official titles were the same, the principle of respecting the deceased would be followed.
But in reality, the rankings were determined first, and then the official positions were assigned.
A year before the establishment of the Lingyan Pavilion, the two emperors had already completed the initial "behind-the-scenes operations": Changsun Wuji was appointed Minister of Works, Fang Xuanling was promoted to Minister of Public Works, and Wei Zheng was appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince...
The final list and order of cabinet members had already been decided on the chessboard of imperial strategy.
In the short term, this operation was highly efficient and quickly achieved its political objectives.
However, in the long run, this has created considerable hidden dangers for this hall of honor.
The biggest problem is that living people are being selected for cabinet positions while they are still serving in the court. How will their future unfold, and who can predict it?
The Lingyan Pavilion, once the residence of Li Erfeng, later produced traitors like Zhang Liang and Hou Junji, a great irony that cast a shadow over the pavilion's former glory.
"My Lingyan Pavilion must never repeat the mistakes of the past." Li Che tapped his fingertips on the table and murmured to himself, "It must be a golden signboard, a peak that future civil and military officials look up to, and the ultimate benchmark that 'though one cannot reach it, one's heart yearns for it'."
How can this be guaranteed?
It's very simple... just put an end to it!
No one may enter the cabinet unless they are meritorious, virtuous, and deceased!
This last point is the most important, because there are too many uncertainties for the living.
Today's loyal ministers may not change tomorrow; today's capable officials may not maintain their integrity in their later years.
Only when life comes to an end can the merits and demerits of a lifetime be determined, and only then can the eligibility for cabinet membership be assessed to avoid any mishaps.
As a result, only two people are currently qualified to be selected as the first batch of meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion.
Qian Bin, who just passed away, and Qin Jing, who sacrificed his life for the country even earlier.
Li Che then picked up a brush, and the master and disciple added the names of several deceased ministers to the paper, then crossed them out one by one.
These people either lack sufficient merit, seniority, or official position to convince others, or they have special status.
For example, Huang Jin, a loyal eunuch of the late emperor, was capable, qualified, and had made significant contributions.
However, including eunuchs in the Lingyan Pavilion would inevitably provoke collective resistance from the traditional civil and military officials, thus damaging the pavilion's reputation.
After weighing the options, we had no choice but to make Huang Daban suffer.
And his few cheap brothers, they really didn't deserve any credit...
Having resolved the issue of eligibility, the next challenge immediately arose.
In what form do you want to preserve the image and achievements of a meritorious person forever?
Li Che rejected painting from the outset.
Silk is perishable, paper is flammable, and colors fade... Wasn't the Lingyan Pavilion in my previous life ultimately destroyed in the flames of war?
Later generations can only commemorate his poems and imagine his splendor.
What Li Che wanted was a medium that could withstand a thousand years of trials and tribulations and still clearly convey the spirit of the sages to future generations.
“So, sculpture…” Li Che murmured to himself, his eyes gradually brightening.
Many marble sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, after two thousand years, still stand vividly today.
Sculptures are three-dimensional, sturdy, and tangible; the historical information and artistic appeal they carry are far beyond what two-dimensional paintings can match.
But the problem also followed.
The mainstream art style in Daqing is freehand and expressive, pursuing artistic conception rather than physical resemblance.
Craftsmen may be able to sculpt the spirit and character of meritorious officials, but asking them to create lifelike statues in the highly realistic style of the West would be asking too much.
Are you suggesting that I should fight my way into the Western world and steal a few sculptors just to build a Lingyan Pavilion?
However, Li Che quickly realized that there were foreigners in Daqing.
When the Fengtian navy conquered Luzon, it captured a number of Portuguese soldiers and officers, and later also incorporated some Western pirates into its ranks.
These people were organized into a special Western-style battalion and placed under the command of a surrendered general. They mainly served as translators, guides, and firearms instructors.
Among these people, there may be talented sculptors.
Thinking of this, Li Che called out loudly, "Huai En."
The young eunuch who had been standing in the corner immediately stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "This servant is here."
"What was the name of the leader of those Portuguese people back then?" Li Che asked.
Without much hesitation, Huai En bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty, those Portuguese are now organized into the 'Western Camp,' under the direct command of the Imperial Guard, and are stationed daily at the Western Suburbs Camp."
"His commander was named Alvaro, who was originally the Portuguese admiral stationed in Luzon. He was later intimidated by His Majesty's divine might and surrendered to Daqing."
Upon hearing this, Li Che nodded slightly in satisfaction.
Huai En became his most trusted eunuch not only because of his seniority and loyalty.
His ability to remember everything he hears and recognize things at a glance is one of his special skills.
"Summon him to see me," Li Che ordered. "By the way, I'm going to the Imperial Garden to relax my muscles and bones, so take him there directly."
"This servant obeys the order." Huai En accepted the command and withdrew.
Li Che then got up and stretched his neck, which had become stiff from sitting for so long.
No matter how busy he was with official duties, he would always set aside half an hour every day to exercise.
They might walk or jog around the Imperial Garden, or practice archery or marksmanship.
The lessons of past history are too profound. How many emperors with great talent and ambition ultimately fell victim to health problems?
The most typical example is Zhu Di's fat son, Zhu Gaochi. Li Che did not want to follow in the footsteps of those workaholic emperors.
A strong physique is the foundation upon which all ambitions are built.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess today, so I'll take this opportunity to exercise and clear them up.
In summer, the Imperial Garden is at its most lush with vegetation, offering a spacious and open view.
Li Che changed into a neat and tidy outfit with arrow-sleeved sleeves, and jogged two laps along the bluestone path until he was slightly sweaty and breathless before stopping.
Then, he found a flat open space and began to do radio calisthenics in a very serious manner.
This fitness method, originating from a previous life, is simple and easy to follow, and can effectively activate all the joints in the body.
He was focused on his work, but his mind was wandering.